Day 6 Hayduke – Red Ledges, Fiddler Cove, and You Dirty Devil

Dirty Devil River at Sunset - You can walk in it but can't drink the nasty water due to alkaline, heavy metals, and agricultural waste
Dirty Devil River at Sunset -You can walk in it, but can’t drink the nasty water due to alkaline, heavy metals, and agricultural waste

If you are confident in your route-finding ability and can accept the real possibility of never being heard from again, follow your compass north-northwest, then north, then northwest across the Red Benches.
~from The Hayduke Trail guidebook about this section

March 24
Up a class 4 chute, up over and yonder on an old Chinese route long gone, down Fiddler Cove Canyon, and up the Dirty Devil River through brush, mud, sand, and fording the cold river many times –  20.8 miles

BIG DAY!

It was the kind of day that the last hour or 2 of hiking, you are bound determined to get to a destination no matter what. Out of it, thankful and hungry you stumble into camp with high winds and blowing sand as your buddies. In the end, all that is remembered after downing a good meal and slipping into a warm sleeping bag is, “I am alive and wouldn’t trade this day for anything.”

Many of the washes have beautiful specimens petrified wood. The first couple of miles of our day had cool examples. Drop n' Roll wanted to take "all of them"
Many of the washes have beautiful specimens of petrified wood. The first couple of miles of our day had cool examples. Drop n’ Roll wanted to take “all of them”
Looking at class 4 chimney we will be climbing - slightly to the middle right
Looking at class 4 chimney (rated in Hayduke Guidebook) we will be climbing – slightly to the middle right
Before the climb - Bubbs is donning her celebratory climbing tutu
Bubbs is donning her celebratory climbing tutu – This chute is more of a class 3 with some exposure
Hauling the packs up
Hauling the packs up
At the top
At the top
Tutu at the top
Tutu at the top
Jenga cairn out in the middle of nowhere
Jenga cairn out in the middle of nowhere
Jenga Cairn
Jenga Cairn
Lunch spot in the wind
Lunch spot in the wind
Up and over the Red Ledges, then repeat
Up and over the Red Ledges, then repeat
Looking down at Fiddler Cove Canyon before the descent down that was not easy
Looking over at Fiddler Cove Canyon before the descent down that was not easy
Fiddler Cove Canyon
Fiddler Cove Canyon
Dirty Devil River
Dirty Devil River
What is this flower?
What is this flower?
Just one of the crossing of the river at sunset
Just one of the crossings of the river at sunset

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21 Comments

  1. Wow, the beauty and scariness of it all! Terrified and awed for sure. Just amazing photography. Glad you all are fine and safe. Loved the photo of the flower. I’ve started noticing flowers the last 3-4 years and they really bring me joy when I find one in a place without some/many. God’s little gems for sure.

  2. It’s been a beautiful trek so far. Great photos.

  3. Rockin’, I mispelled your name. I should add the chimney was an interesting challenge. We ended up going cross-country or off-route a couple times because we didn’t think other climb ups or downs were safe for us; we tried to walk around the Dirty Devil, for instance, but couldn’t climb out of that canyon; we had to backtrack 4 mi and walk the D D afterall. The HT is my dream hike, and we got jaded on the views.

    • Christy "Rockin'" Rosander

      That chimney was pretty intimidating! The guidebook added to the drama also. Did you had rope to haul packs. That made all the difference. There was a cairn there and it was right on the map, so we felt certain we were at the correct exit out. The drop into Fiddler Cove Canyon was no picnic either. It took us awhile to locate how to descend the second half. It was not straight forward.

  4. Loki/Brian

    Dune Evening Primrose. aka desert primrose. The leaves are often lobed
    ,toothed, grooved or cleft

  5. The flower is an Evening Primrose. They are all over our Mojave desert. The Yellow Evening Primroses were going gangbusters this year. The white ones are just starting with our cool spring. They should smell divine, especially in the eying when they open.

    • Christy "Rockin'" Rosander

      Hello Alexia,
      I should have known!!!!!!! After seeing the yellow evening primrose at Red Rock, I should have recognized it straight away. Light had faded and it was so beautiful. Sheer exhaustion from the day often makes my hiker stupid. Hope you are well and enjoying the beautiful spring!

  6. That is an AMAZING tutu! Ahhh you’re killing me with these pictures!! The hubs and I are planning a hiking trip in TN/NC in May but I’ve never gotten to hike in a dessert like you are! (p.s. I only recently found your website and I can say I’ve happily spent the past 2 hours on it lol)

    • Christy "Rockin'" Rosander

      Ah the desert, it has a whole other feel to it. Big, extreme, dry, unforgiving, but oh so fulfilling. Love that you had fun checking out my site and welcome. Thank you for commenting.

  7. Nope, not a prickly poppy; got one growing under my Big Bend TX clothesline right now, but too early for blooms.

    Rocking, thanks for the memories; Fireweed and I did E Terminus/Arches to Escalante last spring; we’ll finish in spring ’17.

    • Christy "Rockin'" Rosander

      You have to be a truly hard core hikers to do this route. Congratulations on the first half completion!

  8. Thanks for keeping it real, Rockin’! As always, your photography perfectly captures the stunning views and rugged trail. Stay safe out there.

  9. I have never seen that flower or anything very close to it. A Google image search produced nothing, as did a search in my library. Were there many of them or was this a loaner? Would be interesting to see if one of your followers knows.

    • Christy "Rockin'" Rosander

      It was a loaner on the banks of the Dirty Devil River. It was so unique and bold. I just had to take a photo .

  10. Maybe a Prickly Poppy flower?

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